As the regular season comes to a close, and post-season begins to take shape, the Lady Bruins hosted a very well coached and disciplined Eagle Point Lady Eagle team that pushed the Lady Bruin skill-sets in every aspect of their game.
The Lady Eagles were very similar to the Lady Bruins and used a 2-3 trap defense and pressed off of points through out the game. Both teams struggled early as defenses were tested and offensive schemes searched for weaknesses.
The Lady Bruins closed off the inside with sophomores Marissa Scott #34 and Ashlyn Schofield #44 establishing a defensive presence in the paint, forcing Eagle Point to the perimeter, and the Lady Eagles responded, hitting four 3 pointers in the first period and 14 points in the 1st. The Lady Bruin offense struggled to keep pace as the Lady Eagles ran a run and gun offense running to open spots on the floor and hitting threes. Lady Bruin seniors Sierra Fitzhugh #00 and Lexi Schofield #1 both scored 5 points in the period and senior Shelby Jirsa #5 hit a big 3 pointer to put the Lady Bruins down one 13-14 after the first period.
Shooting woes continued for the Lady Bruins into the 2nd and the missed shots became opportunities for the Lady Eagles who continued to run and shoot three’s, hitting four more on their way to a 16 point 2nd period. The Lady Bruins could only manage 6 points in the 2nd as shots just would not fall. Jirsa hit another 3 pointer and Marissa Scott hit a basket and a free-throw sending the Lady Bruins to the locker room at the half trailing 19-30.
Reeling from a 1st half of unlucky bounces and an onslaught of eight first half 3 pointers from the Lady Eagles, the Lady Bruins came out in the 3rd period and went to work, defensively pressing in their 2-3 trap and working the low block on offense. Ashlyn Schofield #44 hit two baskets in the paint while Jirsa #5, junior Faith Burton #4 and Fitzhugh #00 took the kick-outs off the drives and hit 3’s to close the gap to 30-35 midway through the 3rd.
Marissa Scott #34 and Ashlyn Schofield #44 were fierce in the paint defensively for the Lady Bruins, disrupting Eagle Point shots and eliminating second shot opportunities clearing the defensive boards. The Lady Bruins outscored the Lady Eagles 16-5 in the 3rd, tying the game at 35 after 3 periods of play.
The final period became a test of wills as both teams felt the pressure of every possession, working for the best shot opportunities and fighting for position down low. The Lady Bruin defense allowed only three Eagle Point shooters to score in the period, holding the Lady Eagles to just 8 points. Senior Shelby Jirsa #5 hit her fourth 3 pointer of the game and Marissa Scott hit a basket, but it was Ashlyn Schofield’s and Sierra Fitzhugh’s going 4 for 4 from the foul line that made the difference in the end as the Lady Bruins held on to win 46-43.
“It definitely wasn’t the start we wanted,” coach Schofield told the Compass after the game. “We weren’t very locked in tonight to start the game, but we were able to execute some things at the end of the game that we don’t always get to work on.., I thought the ability of our kids to completely turn things around in the second half was fantastic.”
The Lady Bruins finished the 2021 season 9-2 in the 3A-5 Far West League, and post season games will be announced later in the week.
